Goodwill: Thanks to Air Force, Operation Christmas Drop volunteers

What started off 61 years ago as a showing of holiday goodwill from the crew of a U.S. military plane has grown into an annual yuletide tradition.

Every year since 1952, Operation Christmas Drop, flown by the U.S. Air Force, has parachuted crates of presents -- clothing, toys, tools, fishing equipment and the like -- to residents of the remote islands of Micronesia.

This month, the tradition continues, as Operation Christmas Drop kicked off Tuesday. Three C-130 cargo planes will fly out of Andersen Air Force Base over the next several days on a mission that will drop tons of needed goods to islanders.

Operation Christmas Drop collected items including nonperishable food, machetes, fishing equipment, clothing, toys and more throughout the year. The community of Guam, as it always has, responded and donated tons of items, which will be packed into crates and parachuted down to remote islands throughout the week.

The humanitarian effort will air-drop 115 boxes to 55 islands throughout the Pacific region.

Most of the people rarely leave their islands. There are no stores and limited options for delivery of needed goods. But every year, they can count on the goodwill of others to help them get the materials and tools they need to get through the year, delivered courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

We commend the Air Force for its continued commitment to Operation Christmas Drop. Year after year, commander after commander, the planes have flown and the crates have dropped.

We also thank those who donate the food, clothing, tools and other items parachuted down every year. Their goodwill makes the Christmas Drop possible.